Making ADHD a Gift: Teaching Superman How to Fly [Paperback]

Robert Evert Cimera (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: December 2002

Making ADHD a Gift explains, in everyday language, what ADHD is, how it is diagnosed, and how this condition can affect people throughout their lifetime. It also outlines methods of developing and assessing teaching strategies that can help individuals with ADHD both at home and at school. Unlike other texts, this book takes a positive look at having Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. Rather than trying to repress the characteristics of ADHD, Making ADHD a Gift advocates that individuals with ADHD use their disorder to maximize attention span, improve social skills, harness impulsivity, and turn hyperactivity into periods of extreme productivity. In addition to providing teaching strategies and accommodations for ADHD students, the book also examines issues unique to children, adolescents, and adults who have been diagnosed with this disorder. Methods are described to help adolescents with ADHD cope with the associated problems of depression and substance abuse, and to help adults manage the marital and employment difficulties that often accompany ADHD. There is additional helpful information about the benefits and side effects of medication, cultural factors that could cause misdiagnoses, forming support groups, and resources for parents and teachers of ADHD students.

Editorial Reviews

Review

...a rare addition to the burgeoning canon of handbooks in that it shows families how to harness the energy, productivity, and impulsiveness of a hyperactive child in positive ways. (The Times (London) )

Essentially a primer on this somewhat controversial area of special education, this book offers a "cookbook" format on how to deal with children who display one or more of the typical characteristics of these disorders…Useful for parents of children with ADHD. (Choice )

About the Author

Robert Evert Cimera, an assistant professor of Special Education at the University of Wisconsin at Oshkosh, was diagnosed with ADHD at an early age.

Product Details

• Paperback: 168 pages
• Publisher: R&L Education (December 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0810843188
• ISBN-13: 978-0810843189
• Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 6 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #518,543 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

40 of 40 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Teaching Superman How To Fly, May 6, 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: Making ADHD a Gift: Teaching Superman How to Fly (Paperback)

Cimera, Robert E. (2002) Making ADHD a Gift: Teaching Superman How to Fly. Lanham, Maryland: Scarecrow Education.

How you teach children about ADHD could set the tone for the rest of their lives. You'll have to paint an honest picture of the condition but also be very positive .... Talk to them about their favorite superhero.... Bring up the fact that each superhero has different abilities.... Then explain that people in real life are a lot like superheroes-everybody has different abilities.... The super abilities of kids with ADHD include having a lot of energy and being able to run around a lot without getting tired. They can also be very creative and intelligent. The purpose of school and IEPs is to get children with ADHD to control and utilize their super abilities for "The Good"... You are teaching Superman how to fly (p. 97).

This is the gift of this book. Robert E. Cimera is an assistant professor at the University of Wisconsin at Oshkosh who was diagnosed with ADHD-C as an adult. He views ADHD as a positive ability. Each chapter begins with a chapter outline; a case study, illustrating elements that will be addressed in the chapter; questions for consideration, for understanding the case study; and a discussion of underlying elements, concerns and strategies. The information is conveyed in a conversational style suitable for the layperson or student educator.

In the first chapter he gives an overview of definitions and diagnoses of the four types of ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder): ADHD-I (Inattentive), ADHD-HI (Hyperactive-Impulsive), ADHD-C (Combined), ADHD-NOS (Not Otherwise Specified). This information serves as a basis for understanding the case studies and discussions that follow. Each chapter gently carries the reader through a critical thinking process of application, analysis, synthesis, and evaluation.

In the chapters that follow, the author covers the topics of: inattention, impulsivity, hyperactivity, social skills, educational programs, and strategies for ADHD children, adolescents and adults. Cimera also has the reader consider the possibility of other conditions or situations that could mistakenly be diagnosed as ADHD. The last chapter contains resources for individuals with ADHD and resources for their teachers and parents. It includes booklists, periodicals, videotapes, contact information for organizations and support groups and an annotated list of Internet sites. Most of the materials had imprints from the early nineties and late eighties. Only one of the websites mentioned was not currently accessible. The website annotations were quite pertinent to their content with the exception of the U.S. Department of Education site, which has been drastically revised since the publication of this book. Although there is a very detailed table of contents, there is no index. The addition of an index would have been useful.

Overall, Cimera provides a positive, supportive and informative voice on the subject of ADHD. I found the examples of students and their goals (pp.130-131) especially illuminating in exploding my own preconceived attitudes toward ADHD. Special education students, classroom teachers, parents and adult individuals with ADHD could find valuable information and insights in this book. It provides an accessible introduction to the condition and provides the reader with the educational, environmental and behavioral accommodations and strategies that can help ADHD students, their parents, teachers and classmates create supportive scaffolding for success...

30 of 31 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars AT LAST A HELPFUL BOOK ON ADD!, November 20, 2002

By 

Josey Winfield (Hampshire, CT) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Making ADHD a Gift: Teaching Superman How to Fly (Paperback)

This is an incredible book! At last a book that talks about hos children with ADD aren't monsters. It is written by a Ph.D. who teaches, researches, and HAS ADHD. He actually knows what it is like. The book has six or seven chapters on nothing but strategies and ways of helping kids use their God given abilities. The last chapter has a list of more resources like books and websites. This is the only book that has talked about medication in a neutral way. The author points out that drugs have some good points and some bad points and leaves it up to the readers to decide what is best for their kids. But the focus of the book is to help kids with ADHD utilize their energy in productive ways-- NOT how to make kids slow down and be NORMAL! WONDERFUL WONDERFUL book! Buy it! You wont be sorry!

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The best book for parents of ADHD kids!, February 10, 2004

By A Customer

This review is from: Making ADHD a Gift: Teaching Superman How to Fly (Paperback)

Somebody at a CHADD meeting suggested that I read this book. I am happy that I did! It is so well written that I couldn't put it down. I read it in one evening. It gives many practical strategies. But the best feature is that it views ADHD as a gift that should "be utilized, not repressed!" I can't recommend this book more highly. Get it. You'll be happy that you did!